New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-09
PESTILENCE AT MONDAY.
AIDED BY REFUSE AND THE LOW TIDE.

AIDED BY REFUSE AND THE LOW TIDE.
THE JUST COMPLAINT MADE AGAINST A Nu1sANCn
IN HARLEM-GENERAL vIELE's VIEWS
The following letter was received at THE TRrB-
UNE office on Sunday:
To the Editor Of The Tribums
SIR; WIN you make request Of the Board Health
M sSs M'dsR h: ,S
ny ns dranass e. that point does not create pesnce
there must % ~ 'psp 0ths vs:s kind us %
Tribune reporter yesterday took the ride
suggested by the correspondent and found con-
dtion Of things of which the letter gives but
faint impression. The suppostion, however, that
the sewerage alone is responsible for the pesti-
lcnce-breeding state Of that neighborhood was
found to be erroneous. The extensive area en-
braced between One-hundred-and-thirty- fifth and
One-hundred forty fifth sts. and Fifth-ave.
and the Harlem River is partly marsh and partly
land under water This its possessors have been
seeking to reclaim. In the desire to DO so as
cheapy as possible they have not been at all
particular as to the kind Of material that they
used. All manner of filling has been dumped
here on both sides of Madison-ave and all over
the territory indicated.
Ashes, oyster and clam shells, street-swecpings,
which include refuse articles of every description
and, worst Of all, garbage and all sorts of
deeaying vegetable well as animal
matter have found their way to this
deposit ground. The stencil which under
the best conditions arises here is enough to turn
the stoutest stomach. But at night, and espec-
tally at low tide, when the water falls so as to
uncover the putrid and rapidly decomposing
matter, the aroma is something frightful. 1t is
true that this dumping has now been partially
covered with what is denominated fresh
earth" but in many places the covering is SO
fla 0f Tho inrn re is
greatly mtigated. If anything is necessary to
render the atmosphere of the neighborhOod
wholly unbearable the big sewer which empties
its contents into the river at One-hundredand-
thrty-fifth-st furnishes it. 1t was only half
tide when the reporter reached the river, and
the breeze was coming from the northeast just
then, n collection of fearful odors came with it.
The filth from the sewer discolored the water Of
the river for many rods.
Officer Charles L. Brewer, whose post of duty
is in this part of the city, said yesterday that
it was difficult to tell which produced the more
| fearful SMELLS the newly made ground or tho
| sewer. Low tide had the same effect on both,
| calling forth the most sickening odOrs imagin-
| able, which were generally worse at night than
in the day time. The officer pointed to a number
| of fine brownstone houses in both Madison and
| Fifth aves. which he said were vacant as re-
| suit OF the pestiential condition of the air in
| that neighoorhood. The buildings too costly
TO be turned into tenement-houses, and therefore.
| they standing idle Some of them had been
| vacant for year more. Other persons living
or doing business in that portion Of the city
| corroborated the statements of the officer.
| When the reporter visited the Health Depart
ment he found solemn looking man in the main
| office, who was folding up and delivering papers
with big seal them. Perhaps they were
! burial permits. As soon as the reporter stated
his mission he frightened up and, with merry
twinkle in his eye, said: "Yes, yes. Dr. Day
is the man you want to see." Superintendent
Day said:
have had complaint. recently Of any nuisance ia the
locsIy nenIons, Aoou. Two az thers rev wsr beins
Esd Visited he MY ioa%s that .ss %.sFis a.. ia
fng principally ashes sweeplngs and the IKE
s
thing they had deposited with fresh earth have heard OF
The permit for the filling in, the Doctor said,
had been granted by the Board of Health last
fali, and it was expressly covenanted by the
parties that the garbage was to be separated.
Some garbage after being dumped had been re-
moved by his direction. The Doctor was cOnfi-
dent that there was no open sewerage in the
vicinity. That surely a mistake. But he
made a note Of the complaints as stated by
the reporter and ordered an immediate investl-
CATION
The reporter next visited the Office of General
Egbert l.. Viee at No. 1l5 Broadway, to consult
the Generals typographical maps of the city, IN
order to discover whether in this section there
was embraced any saturated soil from which the
existing trouble might be supposed to arise. The
General referring to his atlas averred that the
! contrary was the case and that this the only
| section of the city which in the absence OF inn
provements it possible to entirely redeem
from the evil effects of saturated SOIL. 1he Cen
eral is disposed to regard the matter not as q
question of drainage but as one oil the use OF
improper material in filing. He said:
nyou want make gunpowler You take the three eonpo
rens sulphur charcoal and nre any one absent mere
Hecessary VIZ: moisture vegetable animal and
hs an Gys yoa se Ew oe To- Sa9 m
ture more potential deadly IN It's possible effects
. than thousands OF tons Of gunpowder
, Speaking on the general subject of drainage in
the cIty General Egbert L. Nieie SAID;
When the question Of drainage Is raised there point
PARK Fy ninth and nd Gns;hanrs
Some ys a "sH 81 % h Of
are quite number should be replaced oy unders9nnd %
wurE was done Eighteen mites draius the most
pFSEed hs saSiss water Of
the ,. he old reIennai 81 pIlsE I coming 0" ''
p%'1vS %s work E'ss sss r%H effective
Whole feson dry tonic o. ed as 1t one
wsver iye er o%e or reckless builders
Of law and Ss Cd s n P1e' pSese at o
ter buildings making dams ms ol s on a es aS
the sHSTy a" w5shcr sr ow , pse the
s a" of Il the ~ Department Of PuGc CONSTRUCTED
the rT RE law or was s as1it 10
city government IS at ahU
nnnic de-IrOvci There Is IN absence
of and the DstrictA shona
cns the after To the Grand jury so lat
Tie rek gnnrant build rs may be Taught 10 respect
,e Ia w and py some regard 10 he pubic health -,
Whenever cholera has visited this city the ngh ucNh
bee. What @ 'tE% s Cd Sf a
seond the DRAINAGE from the collect Ponn toW ot
rivsIs saturated above anu peiow
Canal ST. and third what known as the stnyvesane
M.aJows on the last River The Illus strating ese
was cooed in different dark shades but for the immediate
odofC ade 50
that was by a deaths head and cross.bones AZ
being tie location OF the greatest mort ly
4 TO OPPOSE PROHIBITION IN TENNESSEE
h LOUISVILLE Aug 8 (speeal. The Executive commit
tae of the National Mutual Protective Association hed-
I meeng oay and decided to call the sec" nd annual
convention of that body The convention Will be held IN
! Cincinnati and the special object OF the meeting VIII Dc
Dr>i ia,